Self-sesvibtg store



F. W. DAVIS.

SELF SERVING STORE.

F. W. DAVIS.

SELF SERVING STORE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I2, 1919.

'Patented July 6, 3920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Mmmm.

FREDERICK W. DAVIS, OF' DAYTONLOHIO.

sELr-snnvrne sronn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

-Eatented July 6, 1926.

' Application fried. Aprn 12, i919, serial no. 289,635.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.' Y

vBe it known that I, FREDERICK W. DAVIS,- a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at' layton, in the county of Montgomery and; State oi Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvements in vSelf-Serving Stores, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to improvements in store service and more particularly tol that particular' type oi store service in which the customers are required to` pass, and thus have brought toQ their attention, all ot' the various goods on` sale, the customers making theirselections 'from thegoods and,

prior to leaving the store, beingrequired toY pass a station Ywhere the selections are inspected, checked up, and then paid orrby the customer, rEheA primary purposes of this class ot"store service are, of course, to reduce to the minimum the overhead eX- penses ot conducting the business, thus enabling the stock to be sold at lower prices to customers; toY increase the amount of goods sold by bringing all or" the varieties oi goods carried in stock to the customers attention in the most attractive manner;

`and, to provide for the more expeditious serving of the customers so that a greater number of customers lmay be'handled in a given period of time than would be possible by the employment oi' clerks to wait upon the customers. lt rfollows therefore that in order that the beneiits to be derived from such a system may be fully rangement orp the stock room or rooms and the display shelves or other goods containers whereby the stock upon the shelves Vor the like may be replenished from the stock room, thus avoiding` the necessity of supplying these shelves or the like by carrying stock thereto through the aisles through which the customers must pass.

Another object of the invention is to pro- One object of the present videV an arrangement of aisles which will not in any way be confusing to the customers entering the store, thus avoiding the embarrassment which might deter new customers from patronizing the store.

A turtherobject of the invention is to provide an arrangement such that the stock on saleA may be displayed to the best advantage and in the most attractive manner.

rlhe invention also has' as a further object to provide an arrangement whereby if de sired an auxiliary checker may be employed if the number of customers entering the store should warrant.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement whereby goods vmay be returned or exchanged without the necessity of the customer entering the salesroom of the store for this purpose.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement of entrance and exit passageways which will greatly facilitate the passage of the customers through A*the store and which also will result in an eeonomy in space.

The invention also contemplates an arrangement whereby goods may be carried to the stock room or rooms through the iront oi the store as well as through the rear and incidentally the arrangement is such that the store may be quickly cleared oi' customers in an emergency and without the customers being required to make the complete circuit of the laisles in the salesroom,

ln the accompanying drawings:

Figure l fis a view partly in plan and vpartly in section illustrating in a general way the arrangement of the store and its appurtenances Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. l looking in the direction indicated by the arrow;

Figp is a similar view on the line 3-3 of Fig. l.

F' j. l ci' the drawings illustrates in plan a storeroom divided oil and arranged in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The irontof the store is indicated in general by the numeral' l. and is provided, preferably centrally, with a doorway 2 closed by the usual doors 3 of any desired type. it each side of the doorway the store front may be provided with a display window or case Ll and within these windows or cases there may be arranged any desired display of goods carried in stock. En-

and a transverse partition 6 which divides the interior of the storeroom at a 'suitable distance inwardly from the store iront. This partition G may extend to the ceiling of the storerooiii or only partway to the ceiling as shown iii Fig. 2 or the drawings, and willpresently more specificallyv described.

ln addition Ito the lobby 5, the jstorerooin is divided to provide a 'salesrooin, indicated in general by the numeral 7, and main and 'auxiliary stock rooms indicated'respectively by the nurrie'ra-ls "8 and V9. ii providing the salesi'oom 7, two 'series of cabi`netsoi"tiers of shelves, indicated by the Vnumeral l0 a're a'rranged within or built into thestoreroom,' each series extending rearwardly troni the partition 6 'to a point suitably 'spaced "from, the rear 'wall :ll *or the sftoreroom and being spaced a suitable distance inwardly from the adjacent side lwall l2 of the 1 storer'ooin. These series o'l cabinetso'rtiers of shelves,` or

goods holders or 'any'ojtlier nature, tlrus form the side 'walls oittli'e'sarlesroom 7,.the partition @forming the 'rront wall or the said room, and vthe rear wall 'or 'the room "being furnished by refrigerators or 4cold -storage cabinets 13 arranged at opposite sidesjor a doorway l vdesigned to be normallyl closed by a door 15. The cabinets 'or tiers or shelves l0 are preferably open at 'their 'sides which are presented vtoward the interior of the salesroom 7, the backs or opposite -sides oi the cabinets being closed by suitable doors 1G preferably mounted for sliding movement. rllhe rerrigerators'or cold stora'ge'cabinets, or such 'other cabinets or the like as are to constitute the rear wallA of "the salesroom, may be provided with glass vparieled doors 1T either mounted to slide or 1hinged'ly mounted Vto 'swing into the salesi'ooin 7, and doorways 18 are provided in the*opposite sides or rear walls ofthe refrigerzitors orthe like 'and may be'closed. by doors 19. lnasni uch as Ythe cabinets or shelves l0 are spaced inwardlyrrom'theside walls l2 thestoreroc-in and the refrigerators or lthe like 13 are spaced vinwardly v'from-therearwall :1l of the said stoierooni7 the said rerrigeratorslo'r the like and the rear wall of the s'toreroom together with the shelves l() and Iside walls i2 define or bound the main stockroom 8, this 'stockroom surrounding three sides of Athe salesroom 7. VCabinets or tiers of shelves the shelves 29may be stocked with goods which are to be transferred to the shelves 10 in replenishing the stock on sale and as a matter of convenience the'same variety of relis-'fasi without any confusion7 itbeing only necesf sary to open any particular one of the doors iGan-d to then transfer the goods in stock upon the slielves20 to the respective shelves l0. These doors 1'6 as Va matterrof convenience be provided with traaisparent panes I'so that tlie stock keeper -rna'y fascertain l'at aV glance the.' quantity or airy particular' ya-V ifety 'or goods on display arid sale -on any or the said shelves l0; .falso the stock keeper fmay readily *replenish tlie stock lwithyand closedlby a door 23,1011 itinay be car r-ied -ifii Etlri'fough the doorway y2V and past "doors ifn'tlie partition 6 aitt'lie `forward Y end or the aisles 251. fcourse, ordinarily these doors v2L'will be kept latclied or locked so that vunauthorized persons cannot enter lthe stockro'or'n, and this will also hold true or the doei-.15. Y f g The "auxlilia'ry {stoc'k roo'ni Ai9 iis located substantially centrally -witlliii the Ysallesroom 7 and i 5bo'ui'i-ded on its sides by lcabinets Aor it'iers olf shelves 25, vat its 'front by va display 'cabi-net or tiers oir shelves-26, and atfits rear byv other shelves `ror 'cabinets 27, these latter being located at-opp'ositesides o'f a doorway 28 closed 'bya door 29. -is 'in the case of the 'cabinets or s'helves vl0, the rearsides o'r backs `or the cabinets 25 may be closed by suitable doors 30, and tlfiedisplay cabinet -26-aiid the 'cabinets 27 Emay be likewise provided with sliding or hinged doors.V Thus the stock "keeper within the auxiliary stockroom9 :may 1li ave access to 'any of the cabinets or shelves Q5, 26 r`and 27 :and may replenish Vthe stock "there is ai'nple space Lrpon theslielves 3l for storage or a `considerable amount of goods,

'this transfer i'or stock jrom the main to the auxiliary fstockrooms 1iria-y be accomplished Iprior to openiri'go'f 'thestore or subsequent Vto closing of the store seas ntfto'interfere with 'the ipassage 'or vcustomers through the store.

Entra'nce'to `the store is to :be fliadby way of a doorway 32 located iin the 'partition 6 'and divided by a partition 38 into an entrance side or `passage-way 34 and an exit side or passageway 35. A Y'turn'stile 36, which may be provided with meansto prevent its turning movement -except in one ged vcentral-ly *within thelii'ooin 9 and @starei direction, is positioned within the doorway 32 with its axis of turning movement loef cated in the verticalplane of the partition 33 and, of course, this turnstile-mustpbe kpassed by all customers who lenter throughv turnstile 3,6 to define the outer sides of the -customers warrants.

passageways 34 and 35, respectively.

Between the inner or rear end of the partition 33 and the adjacent corner of the display cabinet or case 26 there is arranged a booth, indicated in general by the numeral 39, and this booth is provided interiorly with a basket shelf or rack and has' converging side walls between which the saidv shelfy or` rack is located, one of the walls being provided with a delivery window 41 and the other withV a receiving window42. A counter 43 may also be arranged within the booth and the booth may be occupied by an assistant checker if the number of The provisions made for the assistant checker will presently be more specifically described. Access to the booth is to be had by way of a door 44 in the rear wall of the booth.

From the preceding description it will be understood that the customers will enter the lobby 5 by way of the doors 3 and will pass through the entrance passage 34 into the aisle 45 which is formedv between the adjacent row or series of cabinets or shelves 1() enter the aisle 46 which extends between the refrigerators and the cabinets orshelves 27 and may then make his selection Vfrom the said cabinets or shelves 27 and from the other one of the refrigerators 13. The customer Vwill next pass along the aisle 47 which extends between the other seriesV of cabinets or shelves' 10 and the other cabinets or shelves 25, making his selections as before. At the forward end of the aisle 47 and directly in advance but spaced forwardly from the cabinet 26 by an aisle 48, there is arranged a booth 49 surrounded by a'counter 50 at which the customer, entering the aisle 43.; may submit the goods selected by him and placed within the basket which he has taken through the window 41 from the shelfV or rack 40, to the checker who occupies the said booth 49. It is the duty of this attendant to inspect the goods selected, suitably wrap the same, and determine the cost. Having obtained his sales slip, the customer will pass from the aisle 48 through a` passageway 51 tothe cashiers booth 52 Where he will 'make VV'pay'ituent in accordance withrthe amount-of his sales slip and may then leave the store through the exit passage 35 and by way ofthe turnstile 36, A railing or partition 53 divides the space between the booth l49 and the booth 39 into the said passageway5'l and an a xiliary passageway 54, the latter -normally closed, however, by a gate or door 55 .which may be opened, if there are a vgreat number of customers in the store, so that some of the customers may pass out through the passageway 51 and others through the passageway 54, the lattercustomers having their selections inspected andche'ckedv by the auxiliary checker within the booth 39. However, whether the purchasers leave by way of the passageway 51 or the passageway 54, they must pass the cashiers booth 52. As the customers leave the cashiers booth they will return their baskets to the basket shelf or rack 40 through the window 42.

In order that the store may be quickly cleared in an emergency, emergency doors 56 and 57 are located respectively at the forward ends of the aisles V45 and 47. Thus while the aisle 45 under normal conditions is an entrance aisle solely and is connected by the connecting aisle 4G with the aisle 47 which is, properly speaking, the exit aisle, in an emergency when both doors 5G and 57 are thrown open, both aisles 45 and 47 may become exit aisles.

In order to accommodate customers desiring to return or exchange goods, a window or cage for thispurpose, indicated by the numeral 58, is provided at the front of the booth 49 and extends a suitable distance forwardly from `the partition wall 6 so that the needs of customers may be attended to in this respect without the customers being required to enter the salesroom.

Also it is desirable that a booth 5S) be provided in one corner of the lobby 5, preferably that corner toward which the customers pass in .reaching the entrance pas- Sage 34, so that any parcels which the cus tomers may have with them may be ehe-,kerl thus krelieving the customers of the neces-- sity of carrying said parcels into said salesroom where they might be lost, or concerning which there might be some dispute at the checking booth 49 or the auxiliary checking booth. 39.

While the more or less specifi cally illustrate and l have herein described kan ing var salesro'om having a 'continuous aisle therein having an Aentr-ance and an enit at one side oi the room, `a Astocllrroom sur-round ing ftl-i'eV remaining sides fo'fii the `salesrooni, article storage means dividing'the said remaining sides off *the salesr-oom from the stockfroom and accessible lfrom both rooms, and article storage means Within the stock'- -room opposite certain ol the ziirst mentioned article storage means.

2. A store service arrangeniient com-prising a sallesroom :having a continuons 'aisle having an entrance landaneiit at Vone side of the room', 'a stockroom stir-rounding the vother sides Aofi- `the lsaid salesroom, article storage means frfianlring the aisle and dividing the salesroom Afrom the stocflrroom vand accessible k'from either room, `means vfor clos ing the lsaid storage means to the stoclrroom, and larticle storage Ameans located 'Within ythe stoclrrooin opposite and `in Vrelatively close proximity to certain of the ftirst mentioned article kstorage means.

A store service arrangement comprising a salesroom having an entrance and an exit, article storage means arrangeil Within the salesroom about vthe Walls thereof, article storage means arranged Within the salesroom in Aliolloiv Aformation *whereby -to yprovide an `inclosure constituting Vsteelt-- room, the first vand last mentioned article storage means providing bet-reen them a continuous aisle leading from the entrance to the exit.

4. A store service arrangement comprising a salesroom having an 'entrance and an exit, article storage means arranged Within the salesroom about the Walls thereof, article storage means arranged Within the salesroom in hollow formation whereby :to provide an inclosnre constituting a stockroom, the vfirst and last mentioned article storage means providing between them a continuous aisle leading from the entrance to vthe exit, andthe last mentioned article storage means being accessible from both the salesroom andthe stoclroo'm` 5. A store service arrangement comprising a salesroom having an entrance and 'an exit, article storage means arranged Within the salesroom about vthe Walls thereof, article storage means arranged Within the salesroom in hollow formation whereby to provlde an inclosiire constituting a rstockmom,-V the lirst land last mentioned article storage lmeans providing between them a lcontinnousaisle leading romthe .entrance Lto th-eieXit, the last .mentioned article :storia'ge means being accessibile from both the salesroom Aand the fstockroom., and :a stockroom par-.ily surround-ing 'the salesroom, lthe 'first mentioned `article storage ymeans being Y cessible ii-rom both the `salesroom and the V:uiirilizry stoc'lrnoom, and an aisle lentencling --conti1 ons'ly Within the-salesroom and liav-. :ing an entrance vand fan --eXilt :and ilanlred @by fthe iirst and last mentioned article storage means. l

7. A store serv-ice arrangement compris-y ing a saleSroo'm, a main -stoclrroom q iartly surrounding the salesroom, `article storage ycabinets or the like defining certain `of 'the -ivalls of the salesroom and extending vbetiveen 4the sales-room and stoclrroom and :ac

'cessib'le from both rooms, Aarticle storage means Within the salesroom arranged hollow formation, the linclosureV defi-ned by the last mentioned article storage Imeans constituting an` auxiliary stoc'lroom, the last mentioned farticle --storage means being accessible from lbo'th Vthe salesroom Vand :the

auxiliary stoc'kro'om, 1an 'aisle extending.

continuously Within the lsalesrooin'and hav ing an entrance and an-eXit and iia'nlred .by -tho first and last' mentioned` article :storage means, :and duplicate article :storage means arranged Within the main stoc'lrroo'm and located opposite 'certain of the irst .men-` tioned article storage means.

8. lli-store service arrangement comprising av salesroom, a mai-n stockroom'partly surround-ing the -salesroom,farticle storage cabi'- nets 1or 'the like deliningcertain of the 'Walls of ithe salesroom and extending loetween the salesroom and stocltroom and accessible `ftrorn j both rooms, article storage aneans Within 'the salesroom arranged iin hollow .formation, the 4inclosure 4defined Iby lthe'las't mentioned article lstorage means kconstituting an auxiliary stOClrrOOm, the last mentioned article storage fmeans vbeing Vaccessible from 'both ithe salesroom and the auxiliary stoc'lrroom, `an aisle extending continuously Within the salesroom and vhav-ing .an ventrance and an exit and flanked by fthe lirst and last imontioned` article storage means, article storage means arranged within the main stockroomand:located opposite certain of the first mentioned article storage means, and duplicate article storage means arranged within the auxiliary stockroom and located opposite certain of the last mentioned article storage means.`

9. A store service arrangement comprisingafsalesroom, a main stockroom partly surrounding the salesroom, article storage cabinets or the like defining certain of the walls of the salesroom and extending between the salesroom and stockroom and accessible from both rooms, article storage means within the salesroom arranged in hollow formation, the inclosure defined by the last mentioned article storage means constituting an auxiliary stockroom, the last mentioned article storage means being accessible from both the salesroom and the auxiliary stockroom, an aisle extending continuously within the salesroom and having an entrance and an exit and flanked by the first and last mentioned article storage means, the main and auxiliary stockrooms each having a doorway and the said doorways being located opposite each other and establishing communication between the salesroom and the respective stockroom.

l0. A store service arrangement comprising a salesroom, a main stockroom partly surrounding the salesroom, article storage cabinets or the like defining certain of the walls of the salesroom and extending between the salesroom and stockroom `and accessible from both rooms, article storage means within the salesroom arranged in hollow formation, the inclosure defined by the last mentioned article storage means constituting an auxiliary stockroom, the last mentioned article storage means being accessible from both the salesroom and the auxiliary stockroom, an aisle extending continuously within the salesroom and having an entrance and an exit and flanked by the first and last mentioned article storage means, the main and auxiliary stockrooms each having a deorway and the said doorways being located opposite each other and establishing communication between the salesroom and the respective stockrooms, the main stockroomhaving an outer doorway located opposite its doorway which establishes communication between it and the salesroom.

ll. A store service arr( ngement comprising a storeroom'havinga front provided with an entrance and an exit, article storage means arranged within the storeroom in hollow formation to provide an inclosure constituting a salesroom and dividing said storeroom into said salesroom and a stockroom surrounding the salesroom except at the front, and means defining a continuous' aisle within the salesroom extending from duplicatethe entrance to the eexit and flanked by the said article storage means. v

l2. A store service arrangement corprising a storeroom having a front provided with an entrance and an exit, article storage means arranged within the storeroom in hollow formation to provide an inclosure constituting asalesroom and dividing said storeroom into said salesroom vand a stockroom.1 surrounding the salesroom except Vat the front, means defining a continuous aisle within the salesroom extending from the antrancD to the exit and flanked by the said article storage means, the said storage means l'ieingaccessible from both the salesroom andv the stockroom, and duplicate article storage means arranged within the stockroom opposite and inl relatively close proximity to certain of the irst` mentioned storage means.

i3. A store service arrangement comprising a storeroom having a front provided with an entrance and an exit, article storage means arranged within the storerooln in hollow formation to provide an inclosure constituting a salesroom and dividing said storeroom into said salesroom and a stockroom surrounding the salesroom except at the front, means defining a continuous aisle within the salesroom extending from the entrance to the exit and lianked by the said article storage means, and means located betweenthe entrance and exit ends of the aisle and defining the same and constituting means for the support or reception of baskets or the like, the last mentioned means being accessible fromboth the entrance and exit ends of the aisle.

la. A store service arrangement comprising a storeroom having a front provided with an entrancev and an exit, article storage means arranged within the storeroom in hollow formation to provide an inclosure constituting a salesroom and dividing said storeroom into said salesroom and a stockroom'su1r 'li1i ,liiig the salesroom except at the front, means defining a continuous aisle within the salesroom extending from the entrance to the exit and flanked by the said article storage means, means located between the entrance and exit ends of the aisle and defining the same and constituting means for the support or reception of baskets or the like, and a checking station located opposite the said basket receiving means.

l5. A store service arrangement comprising a storeroom having a front provided with an entrance and an exit, article storage means arranged within the storeroom in hollow formation to provide an inclosure constituting a salesroom and dividing said storeroom into said salesroom and a stockroom surrounding the salesroom except at the front, means defining a continuous aisle Vmeans. for the support or reception of baskets or the like, a checkingstation located opposite the said basket receiving means, means dividing the exit end of the aisle Jr'o-r a portion or' its length, the said checking station being located at one side of the said means, and an auxiliary checkingrstation located at thel other side of the said meansn v A' Y 16. A store service arrangement comprising a storeroom having a front provided with an entrance and an exit, article storage means arranged Within the storeroom in hollow formation to provide an inclosure constituting a salesroom and dividing said storeroom into. said salesroom and a stock- Leiaeel room surroundirnr the salesroom except at;

the front, means defining. a continuous aisle rWith-in the salesroom extending from the entrance to the exit and flanked by the said article storage. means meanslocated between the entrance and exit ends of the aisle and defining the same and constituting means*V for the support or reception Vof baskets orA the like, a checking station located yopposite the said 'baskets receiving means, means dividing the exit end of the aisle for a portion of its length, the said checking station Vbeing located at one sidefof the said means,

' 'FREDERICK W. Davis. nl. 8.1,V 

